GM bringing Siri integration to 2013 Spark and Sonic compacts

Chevy beats BMW, Mercedes to the punch on promised "Siri button."

Enlarge / Chevy's 2013 Spark and Sonic compact cars will let drivers ask Siri to perform simple tasks while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Steve Fecht for Chevrolet

At the Los Angeles International Auto Show on Tuesday, General Motors announced that two of its smallest cars will be the first to feature integration with Apple's Siri "intelligent personal assistant." The company will launch the 2013 Chevrolet Spark minicar and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact with Chevrolet MyLink infotainment systems, which connect to iPhones via Bluetooth. Using a steering wheel-mounted button, drivers will be able to ask Siri for directions, to send messages, or to play songs via iTunes.

When Apple announced iOS 6 this past summer, former Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall said that several automakers would be adding "Siri buttons" to their cars in the coming year. BMW, GM, Jaguar, Mercedes, and Honda would integrate with Siri, allowing drivers to operate their iPhones hands-free with built-in Bluetooth voice capabilities. In addition, drivers can activate a "eyes-free" mode, which keeps the iPhone's screen from activating and tempting users to take your eyes off the road. Instead, Siri will be limited to answering simple inquiries or performing simple actions which don't require user interaction on the screen.

"It says a lot about our commitment to small-car customers that Chevrolet has announced that Siri Eyes Free capability will be available in the Spark and Sonic well before the luxury brands," said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, said in a statement.

Among the things drivers can ask Siri to do while connected to the MyLink system:

Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to saved contacts

Play songs in the iTunes library and switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode

Compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or any saved contacts

Access Calendar and add appointments and reminders

Answer simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays

The 2013 Spark and Sonic are expected to arrive in dealer showrooms "early next year." The Chevy MyLink system is standard on Spark LT models, and Sonic LTZ and new turbo RS models, though it can be added as an option on entry-level models. Interestingly, MyLink does not include a CD player; instead, it "operates by integrating the owner’s compatible smartphone and stored media."

I'm looking to get a Honda in early 2013. Would be nice if they added in their integration soon. I'm curious as to how difficult it could be. Seems like you just add a button to the steering wheel, that just sends a specific code over Bluetooth. But I fully admit that I know nothing about the programming involved.

I must be missing something, since I can do pretty much the same thing in my 2012 Cruze. I have to press the button on my phone instead of on the steering wheel, but since it's on a dash mount that isn't an issue. The only think I can't do is change inputs on the radio, and there's already a button on the dash for that.

I must be missing something, since I can do pretty much the same thing in my 2012 Cruze. I have to press the button on my phone instead of on the steering wheel...

Likewise; I can do the same thing with the after-market Bluetooth speaker-phone that's attached to my visor. (Well... except for the Siri part, since I still have an old iPhone 4... but I presume the premise is the same -- and of course, except for the voice controlled input changing...)

I must be missing something, since I can do pretty much the same thing in my 2012 Cruze. I have to press the button on my phone instead of on the steering wheel, but since it's on a dash mount that isn't an issue. The only think I can't do is change inputs on the radio, and there's already a button on the dash for that.

Of course you can use Siri while pressing the home button on your iPhone, and you're right that that is nothing new.

The whole point of the added integration is that it all works without having to touch, or in most cases, even look at your iPhone, since doing so distracts you from doing what you should be doing, which is driving.

"It says a lot about our commitment to small-car customers that Chevrolet has announced that Siri Eyes Free capability will be available in the Spark and Sonic well before the luxury brands," said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, said in a statement.

Eliminate the marketing speak, and the real reason Chevy put Siri in their smaller introductory cars is because the people who buy these cars will actually be excited about Siri in their cars, as opposed to those who drive Buicks or Cadillacs.

Great strategy, just hate the marketing spin that companies feel they have to put on everything.

I must be missing something, since I can do pretty much the same thing in my 2012 Cruze. I have to press the button on my phone instead of on the steering wheel, but since it's on a dash mount that isn't an issue. The only think I can't do is change inputs on the radio, and there's already a button on the dash for that.

You mean the Holden Cruze, which is only sold in Australia? Did you know it is illegal to touch the Siri button on you phone in most/all Australian states?

Even while stopped at a red light, it's illegal, and I have a $300 ticket to prove it.

Touching a button on your steering wheel, however, is legal. And this will disable all Siri features that require interacting with the screen.

This is a good move, I mostly use Siri while it's in my pocket and I'm wearing headphones - it works well. I wonder if it also turns the radio off while you're talking to Siri... I bet it does, since it probably uses the car's speakers and microphone instead of the iPhone one.

Siri integration might be enough to make me change which car I'm gonna buy next... as long as it's in a great car.

Truth. Mind you, you're likely to be down-voted, as your point won't be very popular with the Android fans... so you probably should have backed it up with more then just a single data point. Sprint (for example) currently promotes the following Android phones on their website:

What makes you think Android 2.3 isn't enough for car integration? Here's a car dock app built for the two previous versions of Android before Gingerbread. Adding the ability to control these simple functions by voice control is not that difficult and can be easily handled by Gingerbread.

You have a car for, say, 8 years. Will people really use Siri in 2021? Will Apple still support the API?

did people ditch their cars when tape players were no longer the in thing?do people even use CD players in the car anymore?

anyway, life goes on.

I have a tape deck AND a CD player in my car. I use the Tape deck primarily as an AUX port and have an Ipod mount in the CD Player , that will tell you how much I use the CD Player as it is physically impossible to insert one.

Google would have to introduce a standardized spec for hands-free use of Google Now in a car first.

Also, a "generic" integration only gives you the lowest common denominator functionality which is exactly opposite of Apple's modus operani. This is why in practice AirPlay is far easier and enjoyable to use over something like DLNA that may or may not work depending on which devices you have (I've used both).

"It says a lot about our commitment to small-car customers that Chevrolet has announced that Siri Eyes Free capability will be available in the Spark and Sonic well before the luxury brands," said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, said in a statement.

Eliminate the marketing speak, and the real reason Chevy put Siri in their smaller introductory cars is because the people who buy these cars will actually be excited about Siri in their cars, as opposed to those who drive Buicks or Cadillacs.

Great strategy, just hate the marketing spin that companies feel they have to put on everything.

While I agree with this statement, it could be said about most any new tech that would go into luxury cars first.

"It says a lot about our commitment to small-car customers that (car manuf. here) has announced that (any new tech here) will be available in the (small car here) well before the (expensive car here).

Aren't folks who have a lot of money less enamored with new toys? They will get them no matter what, so that the neighbor will not have a more-optioned car than them.

My original Droid works great in my 2011 sedan. The only thing it needs is a command to do Android voice commands, just like they are doing here with a "Siri" button. Would be simple enough to integrate into the car's bluetooth system.

Truth. Mind you, you're likely to be down-voted, as your point won't be very popular with the Android fans... so you probably should have backed it up with more then just a single data point. Sprint (for example) currently promotes the following Android phones on their website:

So that's one in four Android models running an out-of-date version of the OS -- and that doesn't include the "pre-owned" and "out-of-stock" selections.

Ok, so how many people still own 3GS's and 4's? Which don't have Siri. I know this is merely anecdotal evidence, but quite a few people I know still have a 3GS and plan on going with the 4 since it's so cheap.

The SGSIII has 4.1 and it's handily beating iPhone sales, and the Note II just hit 5 million sales... so it's certainly not a small market. Never mind the Nexus line, which yes I know doesn't sell nearly as well.

Truth. Mind you, you're likely to be down-voted, as your point won't be very popular with the Android fans... so you probably should have backed it up with more then just a single data point. Sprint (for example) currently promotes the following Android phones on their website:

Truth. Mind you, you're likely to be down-voted, as your point won't be very popular with the Android fans... so you probably should have backed it up with more then just a single data point. Sprint (for example) currently promotes the following Android phones on their website:

So that's one in four Android models running an out-of-date version of the OS -- and that doesn't include the "pre-owned" and "out-of-stock" selections.

Ok, so how many people still own 3GS's and 4's? Which don't have Siri. I know this is merely anecdotal evidence, but quite a few people I know still have a 3GS and plan on going with the 4 since it's so cheap.

The SGSIII has 4.1 and it's handily beating iPhone sales, and the Note II just hit 5 million sales... so it's certainly not a small market. Never mind the Nexus line, which yes I know doesn't sell nearly as well.

How many ios devices are sold without the latest operating system? How many android devices are? While it is fun to make up data, show me data with the samsung gs3 outselling the iphone 5 in the US.

This would be a lot easier if we could just dial siri with handsfree bluetooth, ie a special sequence of numbers like ##SIRI# would invoke siri. Then I could use my steering wheel controls and not have to jack with getting my phone out of my pocket.

Ok, so how many people still own 3GS's and 4's? Which don't have Siri. I know this is merely anecdotal evidence, but quite a few people I know still have a 3GS and plan on going with the 4 since it's so cheap.

The SGSIII has 4.1 and it's handily beating iPhone sales, and the Note II just hit 5 million sales... so it's certainly not a small market. Never mind the Nexus line, which yes I know doesn't sell nearly as well.

How many ios devices are sold without the latest operating system? How many android devices are? While it is fun to make up data, show me data with the samsung gs3 outselling the iphone 5 in the US.

My point was that, while yes there are a lot of devices with Siri, there are still quite a lot that don't have access by virtue of the fact that they have 3GS's and 4's. AND there are a large number of Android phones with 4.1 or higher so it's not to be dismissed as quickly as you're attempting to.

I full well realize and acknowledge that Android lags behind iOS in that respect, but that's why I only buy Nexus phones.

I must be missing something, since I can do pretty much the same thing in my 2012 Cruze. I have to press the button on my phone instead of on the steering wheel, but since it's on a dash mount that isn't an issue. The only think I can't do is change inputs on the radio, and there's already a button on the dash for that.

Agreed, my 2008 Van is set up the same way. Whether I'm using my iPhone or android while driving, voice vommand is but a button push away. I use the iPhone more commonly as I can access Siri from the home button directly where on Android i have to quit the active app first. Also, i have a single button push on the steering wheel to change from Aux-In to FM. It takes a few presses on the steering wheel to go back, but i can touch the console screen and get back in one push there. Calls always come through the onboard bluetooth if i answer from the steering wheel, and come through the phone if I pick it out of it's dock, allowing me to choose to make a call private or not befoer answering, and i can see who's calling without waiting for the car to call out the incoming name or number using voice.

nice it;s natively included, but also not nice it;s Siri-onoly and not a universal system compatible with any phone. Also worry about extensibility in the future, my 4 year old in-dash GPS can't even get new maps for less than a replacement GPS unit costs ($400 fucking dollars for a map update?!?!?!?! ANUALLY!!! Fuck that!) so I'd worry than an iPhone 7 or 8 moght not even be compatible with the car without shelling out a small fortune.

BTW, if you already have a Bluetooth equipped GM vehicle you can use Siri today. I have an Enclave with a USB port and have the iPhone 5 pared. To use siri, hold down the call button, say "bluetooth" then say "voice" after those two commands it will bring up the siri sound prompt and you can say whatever you like. It works very well! I send text messages, have it read text messages, give me driving directions, (audible one's since there is no video integration) make calls.

Talking on a cell phone or talking to Siri while driving is a dangerous distraction, handsfree or not. I simply won't do it. Wish you wouldn't either...especially if you're near me...

Its the EXACT same distraction level using voice command as it is talking to a passenger. I guess we need to equip all cars with a rool of duct tape and simply ban communication entirely with the driver. Tape needs to be over both the mouth and hands to prevent signing to the driver too.

Using a phone in your hand is slightly distracting, and I understand banning it, but there's no scientific evidence showing talking and listening is a significant distraction. yes, doing ANYTHING in a car other than strictly driving it can lower one's reaction time, but within reason, simply talking hands free vs talking to a passenger, or even idly thinking about work (try to prevent THAT in law), is simply statisically insignificant. In fact, it;s been shown that being able to see (but not touch) your phone to interact with it is actually less distracting than truly hands-free operation, it's no more difficult for the human mind to handlle than using a GPS for navigation (which actually contrary to what your led to believe lowers the incident of accidents, people looking for a turn they do not know where actually is cause a large number of accidents every year, people folliowing their GPS incorrectly cause very few), or looking at your guages while driving, and the effort of taking a call using voice actually causes more brain distraction than vision interpretation does. (your eyes can do many things at once without additional effort, listening while using your eyes does have some limited impact), so it;s actually better to have your phone on your dash turned on than it is to have it in your pocket used hands free.

Ok, so how many people still own 3GS's and 4's? Which don't have Siri. I know this is merely anecdotal evidence, but quite a few people I know still have a 3GS and plan on going with the 4 since it's so cheap.

The SGSIII has 4.1 and it's handily beating iPhone sales, and the Note II just hit 5 million sales... so it's certainly not a small market. Never mind the Nexus line, which yes I know doesn't sell nearly as well.

How many ios devices are sold without the latest operating system? How many android devices are? While it is fun to make up data, show me data with the samsung gs3 outselling the iphone 5 in the US.

My point was that, while yes there are a lot of devices with Siri, there are still quite a lot that don't have access by virtue of the fact that they have 3GS's and 4's. AND there are a large number of Android phones with 4.1 or higher so it's not to be dismissed as quickly as you're attempting to.

I full well realize and acknowledge that Android lags behind iOS in that respect, but that's why I only buy Nexus phones.

Your entire line of reasoning is irrelevent because this is a 2013 model car. By the time it;s on sale, anyone with an iPhone can upgrade to a 4S for free and be guaranteed the use of Siri at no additional cost. His argument about which device is outselling the other, and how many devices are still sold using a 2 year old OS out of the box is still completely relevent against android, though wildly off topic.

Wondering how piss off iPhone users will be when apple change something (hardware or software) that makes their cars obsolete?

They'll be excited. New car!!!

There is a firmware update available for your vehicle. Update now?

There's a map update availabel for my 2008 car. the maps are $400. I can only install those if I get a $79 firmware update CD. The process takes about 45 minutes, and I lose all the data on the 30GB HDD in the car doing it.

The more this crap gets integrated into the car itself, the worse off we are. They need a simple, universal system to access whatever the device the user already owns is capable of. Oh, yea, like BLUETOOTH! most cars can already use SIRI using their existing bluetooth options. For most GM vehicles, simply say "bluetooth" then "voice" and Siri comes through the car stereo. most cars with iPod conenction kits also work perfectly with that feature, unless they're limited to analog audio support. Point is, why build all this crap into the car natively, the phone shoudl simply work using existing standards. Hell, they could add AirPlay in the dash and you could stream video from the phone to the TV screen in the back seat, access Siri over bluetooth, push GPS data into or from the phone to the driver's screen, all without GM needing to make their own OS or play around with locking into just one device type (android shoudl work equally as well as iOS in their cars).

One thing I want, and if it takes regulations that's fine, whatever the warranty period on the vehicle is, they need to guarantee that at NO COST, any new device i acquire durring that timeframe WILL work with their dash system within 6 months, they'll post allist of compatible devices, and any and all compatible software improvements are back-ported. If that means in order to support an iPhone 8 they need to swap out a few chips in a module, upgrade an in-dash OS, or even replace the entire center console, so be it. If they cannot guarantee that, then stay out of it and just use bluetooth and only BT.

You have a car for, say, 8 years. Will people really use Siri in 2021? Will Apple still support the API?

did people ditch their cars when tape players were no longer the in thing?do people even use CD players in the car anymore?

anyway, life goes on.

Shortly after CD became popular, people were changing their DIN units out, or adding AUX players. Did the same when iPods became popular. Problem is, on a lot of modern cars, the entire DASH SYSTEM, not just the media device, is fully integrated. In my van, the dual DVD system, 2 screens, GPS, AC controlls, and console are one giant integrated system, of which NO piece can be replaced without losing the entire rear entertainment system and the GPS. I have ZERO upgrade path other than an analog audio in jack for music. You coudl get my car with iPod compatibility when i got it, but only if you got no GPS. (it was an either-or selection). Now the newest model, the entire driver display (spedometer etc) is an integrated component of the media system, and it is simply not possible to take the radio out and exchange it for something new. If I had that car, and got a new phone that could not work with the integrated OS, I'd simply no longer have hands-free as an option, and would be breaking the law in many states unless I bought a clip-on BT accessory or something and bypassed the car's systems. At some point that becomes a negative to resale value as well, potentially taking thousands of dolars off the value of the car because the GPS can't be upgraded, the media player won;t play BD 2.0 disks, and it won;t work with current phones. The in-dash cost to replace just the 3Din tall unit in my car is $2400 if it breaks down, the single most expensive component in the car other than the engine block. This crap needs to stop, these systems need to be field upgradible again, and not just software but hardware, and support exchanging different models and new technology into the existing system easily.

Don't one of *those* guys. The kind that, two seconds after the first commercial video stream happened, acted boggled that anyone anywhere in the world was still using DVDs.

CD players that handle MP3 discs are pretty much standard equipment now. I wrote a program that tosses random MP3 files from my collection onto a CD and I use those. One CD lasts a week of commuting. Erase CD and repeat. The connectivity options of my latest car were just way overpriced, IMO. Didn't want to bother. I just want some tunes when I drive.

We're probably at or past the peak of CDs in cars, but it'll be a slow phase out. Most of the talk I've heard or read about removing them is centered on their weight contribution to the car.